“Fine, as big firms go. ”

I have been working at Morrison & Foerster full-time (more than 5 years)

Pros

Lots of resources, plenty of high profile work, interesting clients, opportunities to do pro bono work, a commitment to some level of pro bono for each lawyer.

Cons

Career path can be unpredictable and sometimes out of the hands of the associate for the most part. MoFo will put associates where they are needed, often with little regard for associates' preferences.

I have been working at Morrison & Foerster full-time (more than 8 years)

Pros

MoFo Palo Alto has (mostly) really nice people who are smart lawyers. Most lawyers in the office have families, so there is some flexibility re face time, especially if you have family matters to tend to (e.g. picking up child after day care).

Cons

MoFo Palo Alto does not stand on its own two feet. If you go there as an associate, you will only survive long-term by getting to know and work with partners in SF and NY. The partners in Palo Alto do not generally bring in their own matters. As a result, as a senior associate, you will be competing with the office's junior partners for work on rain maker cases out of the big offices. And guess who will be at a disadvantage there? So if you go there - make it a point from day one to work extensively with SF/NY partners. And beware the up or out policy. If you do not work with big-office partners, your reviews after you become a seventh year will sudden;y turn from glowing to problematic. Then you will be asked to leave. To be fair, they give the softest soft landing you can imagine (six months with full pay but no duties). But I'd say the better course of action is to go to this offer for your first few years, then lateral.